Happy Birthday Don Karnage
by James7912b
Summary: <html><head></head>Don Karnage's birthday is coming up but what can his crew get someone who plunders what he wants?</html>


**Happy Birthday Don Karnage**

**Pirate Island, September 4****th**** 1937-**

Two pirates sat on a wooden crate on the edge of Pirate Island's hidden bay and took a break from unloading their captured cargo from the _Iron Vulture._

"Hey I heard Maddog say that the Capt'n has a birthday coming up," said a hulking pirate in a red, sleeveless shirt nicknamed Tiny. On top of Tiny's head sat a helmet with two horns sticking out of it.

"Yeah," said his fellow pirate, a skinny dog in a large green shirt called Scruff.

"But didn't he have one last year?" said Tiny with a confused look on his face.

"Duh?" said Scruff, "Tiny, everyone has a birthday every year."

"Really? How come I never get anything like the Capt'n does?"

"When's yer birthday?"

Tiny put a finger to his chin and thought a second before replying, "I don't remember."

Scruff rolled his eyes, "And you wonder why no one gets you anything."

Don Karnage did indeed have a birthday coming up. The pirate leader would be adding another year to his age in less than a week and it was expected that his men would pay him the tribute he earned AND expected. There was only one small problem: what would they get him this year seeing as Karnage plundered what he wanted at will.

**September 5****th****-**

"Maybe we can get him some priceless statue or something else for his office," suggested Will.

"Nah," said Hal, "Not many cargo planes carry that stuff. We'd have to raid an art museum or something."

"I can set off a big explosion for him!" said Hacksaw who shook eagerly in anticipation of blowing something up.

"Last time you set off an explosion around here you almost destroyed half the island," said Will.

"It wasn't that big!" Hacksaw said angrily, "It only took out a 40 foot section of the island!"

"Sorry, _only _40 feet."

"Hey Maddog," said Hal to the approaching pirate, "What should we get the Capt'n for his birthday?"

Maddog stopped dead in his tracks, "You mean it's almost his birthday again?"

"Yeah," said Hal, "And you know how he likes to have us get him stuff."

"Maybe we can not get him something and see if he'd notice."

"Knowing him," said Will, "He'd notice and hang us by our pinkies from the yard arm."

Kit turned a corner and walked into the lounge and found several of his fellow pirates seated at a table discussing something amongst themselves.

"Heya guys!" said the cub in a cheery voice, "What's new?"

Hal looked to Kit and said smugly, "Oh it's _you…_I thought it was someone important."

The cub stuck his tongue out at the big cat and climbed onto a stool, "Gee whiz Hal," Kit said in an innocently childish voice, "I wish I was as important as your ego."

The other pirates erupted into laughter much to Hal's chagrin.

"Hey Kit you know the Captain is having his birthday in a few days right?" said Will.

"I do now."

"The kid hasn't been here for one of his birthdays Will," said Hal.

"I guess it's a big deal then," said Kit who pulled a bottle of soda from a refrigerator and took a drink.

"It is a big deal," said Hal, "A few years ago we forgot and he had us flogged for it!"

"My back still aches," said Maddog.

**That Evening-**

"I am such a handsome fellow!" Don Karnage said to his reflection as he gazed at his wondrous self in his full length mirror, "I am so handsome I amaze myself!"

The wolf smiled at his mirror image and then took a seat at his desk. On top of the ornately carved, wooden desk was a large, handcrafted globe. He took the globe in his hands and spun it. As it spun he put his finger on it a random point; this was a means he used for determining where he would launch a raid.

"Hmmm Thembria is far too cold for my liking," Karnage said as he spun the globe again. This time it landed on mainland Usland, "That is too far…although I could maybe try to get into Cape Suzette."

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention: A face was peering in at him from his slightly open door.

"You are un minuto early for your fencing lesson boy."

Kit pushed the door open all the way and walked in, "I don't like to keep people waiting."

"Good you should never keep I waiting," said Karnage, "You wait on I, I don't wait on you. Now grab a sabre."

"No foil this time?"

"Did I say foil?"

"Um no."

"Then grab the sabre."

Kit went to Karnage's sword rack and pulled a sabre from it. Aside from the sabre the large rack held several other blades: Foil, scimitar, broadsword, claymore, cutlass, katana, wakizashi, machete, rapier, gladius, and several others graced the rack. _I guess getting him another sword wouldn't be the best idea._

Kit held the sabre up and looked it over. He then brought it down in a quick movement and assumed a fighting stance.

"En garde!" called Karnage as he withdrew his cutlass in a blinding flash and leapt over his desk and landed in front of Kit.

Kit swung his sabre at Karnage who easily avoided being sliced. He then jabbed at Kit and caused the bear cub to back away toward the center of Karnage's private office.

"I'm amazed at how quick old people can be!" said Kit who grinned at Karnage.

"HA! So funny," Karnage said sarcastically as he lunged forward and swung at Kit.

The two took swipes at one another, their metal blades clashing loudly. Kit gripped the hilt with both hands and swung the weapon like a baseball bat. Karnage watched as the boy wound up his delivery like a batter and was able to move quickly out of the way. Kit swung and hit air and then felt a tap on his back and looked up.

"When you telegraph your swing people can move out of the way," said Karnage as he looked down at Kit, "Now continue!"

By this time the sparring swordsmen had attracted the attention of several pirates who stood in the doorway and watched as captain and cub fought.

"Like I said earlier," Kit said loud enough for the others to hear, "I'm amazed at how quick old people can be!"

"Who are you calling old you juvenile delinkitlywink?"

Kit tucked and rolled to avoid Karnage's blade and ended up hitting the wolf in the legs which caused him to fall forward with an 'OOOF!'

Kit stood up, went to the sword rack, and grabbed the scimitar. Now armed with two blades he continued his attack.

"Hey he's got two swords!" said Maddog, "Is that fair?"

"Maybe he needs two to beat der Captain," said Dumptruck as he watched the little, cinnamon-brown cub close in on Karnage.

"Ha! Think you can handle two blades boy?" said Karnage mockingly, "We shall see!"

"Watch me!" challenged Kit as he swung both at Karnage.

Karnage jumped back and hit the sabre with his blade. Kit brought the scimitar toward Karnage but slowed his delivery for fear that he might actually hit his captain. This gave enough time for Karnage to block the scimitar.

"Why do you hesitant?"

"I didn't want to hit you by accident."

"Your enemy will not hesitate so you should train like I do and not hesitate!" said Karnage as he planted a foot on Kit's chest and pushed him down.

Kit rolled to his side and stood up just in time to see Karnage's cutlass coming down toward him with a quickness.

From the vantage of the other pirates it looked as if Kit was going to be cleaved in two.

"I can't watch!" said Maddog who closed his eyes.

Kit reacted to the approaching blade by dropping to a knee and bringing both swords over his head until they formed a **V. **Karnage's blade collided with Kit's blades and stopped at the base of the **V **which was two inches from the top of the boy's head.

Kit had put all of his might into blocking the blow and now he thrust up with another surge of energy and pushed Karnage's blade up enough to allow him to roll head over heels toward Karnage which brought him right into contact with Karnage's legs.

Karnage watched in amazement as the boy successfully blocked his blade and now maneuvered into his legs. The force of Kit's roll caused him to fall back. He waved his arms in the air as he fell and came down to the floor.

As soon as Karnage hit the floor, Kit completed his roll, righted himself and landed on top of Karnage where he straddled him and had both blades forming an **X **inches from Karnage's throat.

"I'm the Scourge of the Skies!" Kit proclaimed loudly and proudly.

"Is it OK to look now?" asked Maddog.

"Yes it's over," said Jock, "You can open your eyes."

Maddog opened his eyes and saw that his boss was lying down with Kit straddling him, "He did it! He beat the Captain!"

On the floor Karnage looked up and smiled at Kit, "Do not be so certain of victory boy."

"Huh?" said Kit who was bewildered by Karnage's smile.

"Look to your left."

Kit glanced over and saw that Karnage's cutlass was pointed right at him. It was an inch from piercing his side. He panicked for a quick moment as the fact that if Karnage wanted too, he could easily slip the blade between his ribs and pierce his heart.

Kit smiled a little nervously and said, "OK it's a draw!"

Kit got up and off of Karnage and watched as his master stood up and resheathed his blade, "Good improvisation and quick thinking on your feet. You are improving. Some day you may possibly be somewhat as great as I," said Karnage with a look of pride on his face, "If I _let _you beat me."

The other pirates were impressed by the youngster's display of swordsmanship. No one had ever gotten that close to beating Don Karnage in single combat, of course seeing as this was a sparring match they correctly surmised that the captain hadn't fought at full strength as Kit had.

"One of these days!" Kit said to Karnage with a wink and a smile as he walked outside with his head held high and a cocky sense of pre-adolescent pride beaming from him.

Karnage watched his protégé's exit and felt a feeling of warmth and pride toward the orphan cub. _Having him join the crew was like an early birthday present for me! _

**Later that night-**

Kit sprawled out in his hammock, stretched out, and yawned loudly. He was worn out from his earlier sparring session with the captain and was eager for sleep.

"For a little guy you sure do yawn loud!" said Ratchet from his bunk next to Kit's.

"Dynamite comes in small packages!" Kit replied with a smile.

"Heard you gave the Capt'n a run for his money," said the mechanic with a grin.

"I thought I did pretty good but I think he doesn't go all out with me."

"Course not kid, he doesn't want to skewer his people."

"Did he ever teach you fencing?"

"Me, fencing? HA! I'm a lover, not a fighter."

Kit giggled and then said, "Any ideas of what to get him for his birthday?"

"That's the problem; what do you get a guy that steals everything?"

Ratchet brought up a good point: If Don Karnage didn't have something then he'd steal it or have _you _steal it for him. That being the case, it was hard to come up with something to get him for his birthday.

Kit had gleaned from his fellow pirates that Don Karnage considered his birthday to be the equivalent of a national holiday and that he expected his men to lavish gifts upon him. He was known to go into a rage if he wasn't pleased so it was important to get him something outstanding for his birthday.

"What did you guys get him last year?"

"Well we managed to get him this giant emerald and that satisfied him."

"Where'd you guys get that?" Kit asked, "Did you go on a treasure hunt?"

"Yeah," replied Ratchet with a smile, "We went on a treasure hunt to some professional treasure hunter and swiped it from him."

Kit laughed and then asked, "What about other times?"

"Well let's see," said Ratchet as he thought back to some previous birthdays, "Two years ago we got him a new tug boat for the _Vulture. _The engine had burnt out of the old one so we stole a new one. The year before that we managed to kidnap this artist and have him paint a portrait of him."

Kit knew the portrait: It was almost six feet tall and three feet wide and showed Don Karnage, bedecked in a royal-looking robe and jewels, standing atop a mound of gold with his cutlass at his side like he was some kind of conquering hero.

"What did you guys do with the painter?" asked Kit.

"The Capt'n was so pleased with it that he gave the guy a gold bar and had us take him home."

"That's generous of him."

"He gets like that sometimes," said Ratchet who added, "But you don't want to see him disappointed."

"What's he do?"

"We didn't get him anything a few years ago and he flipped out going on about how 'You pathetic excuses for pirates! How dare you not get your fearless leader anything! You will all scrub the _Iron Vulture's _deck with toothbrushes!"

"That sounds bad."

"Then he had us flog ourselves which wasn't as bad as how he made us brush our teeth with our toothbrushes _after _we swabbed the deck."

"Ewwww!" went Kit as he imagined how disgusting that must've been, "Guess we'll need to get him something really good this year."

"Well seeing as you're the new kid," Ratchet smiled, "You should be the one to get him something."

Kit stretched out, yawned once more, and closed his eyes. Before he fell asleep he thought about what to get Karnage, _What do I get a guy who has everything?_

**September 6****th****-**

Don Karnage reclined back onto his foldout beach chair and let out a sigh of contentment. The sun's rays both warmed and relaxed him and the gentle ocean breeze ruffled his fur.

The wolf wore a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and was clad in navy blue shorts and a red and a sleeveless, white striped shirt. He stretched out and yawned. He wasn't sleepy but the sun's warmth made him feel lazy. He reached over to a small stand and grabbed his glass of ice cold lemonade. Ice cold lemonade wasn't typical pirate fare but he had to put the shipment of plundered lemons to use. Besides it hit the spot.

Karnage's thoughts turned from the lemonade to his upcoming birthday: _Whatever will my minions get me for my birthday? _He wondered, _Perhaps a chest of gold or cargo ship full of products destined for a department store. Maybe an oil tanker! _These were all nice things but he knew that they were just objects. Now he wasn't going to turn down these sorts of things but he was really hoping that his men could get him something…well something a little bit more meaningful than mere objects. Once again he had to reiterate to himself that he would in no way turn down riches but he did keep hope that his men would surprise him with something a little more meaningful.

Gibber came outside onto the cliff/balcony and whispered into Karnage's ear.

"What?" said Karnage who strained to hear his subordinate, "Whisper louder! I cannot hear."

Gibber whispered again.

"What? My birthday is coming up?" said Karnage in faux surprise, "Oh yes yes, I had forgotten."

Gibber whispered some more.

"OK so I did remember that my birthday is coming up, what is your point?'

Gibber whispered again.

"What kind of stupid ignorant idea is that!" Karnage snapped angrily, "How does getting other people gifts benefit _me _on _my _birthday" That is absurd!"

Gibber leaned into Karnage's ear once more.

"In giving it is that we truly receive?" Karnage said in bewilderment, "Who said that?"

Gibber whispered some more.

"Well I am not a Saint! I am the great Don Karnage! If other people get something out of giving then they can give me something and then they will receive my happiness for them in return from the gift giving for my kindness!"

Gibber arched an eyebrow at his boss's confusing answer.

"Don't look at me like I don't know what I am talking about Gibber. You know what I am thinking and I know you know what I am thinking and what I am thinking is that you are thinking that I indeed know what I am thinking about because I am talking to you in my voice."

A confused expression appeared on Gibber's face for a brief moment before he decided to just play along with his boss's idiosyncratic ramblings. He went once more to Karnage's ear.

"Good," said Karnage with a pleased look on his face, "I am glad you understand my clear line of thought. Now DO NOT lead onto the others that it is my birthday. I want to see if they can remember and get me something nice."

Gibber headed off and thought to himself, _So much for thinking outside of the box. I thought it would be a good idea if Karnage would give to the crew for his birthday. He might actually get something good out that but I should've figured he's like a little kid when it comes to his birthday._

As soon as Gibber left, Karnage closed his eyes and attempted to relax. However his relaxation was short-lived.

"Hiya Capt'n," came a cheery voice.

Karnage snapped one eye open and saw the little bear cub at his side, "Oh it is you."

"Its me!" said Kit who wore a big smile on his face.

"What is it you want? Can't you see I am trying to soak in some rays."

Kit walked around Karnage and jumped up on the balcony wall and sat down. He kicked his legs back and forth and let the sun warm his back. It was too hot for his sweater so he had downgraded to his white undershirt.

Kit had come by with the intention of trying to find out what Karnage wanted for his birthday.

"I was thinking," said Kit, "I enjoy our swordplay and I think it'd be nice if I could get a sword of my own."

"You'd cut yourself."

"No, I think I'd handle it well…a sword would've made a good birthday present for me," Kit said. He deliberately dropped in the word 'birthday' to see if he could draw from Karnage any presents that he wanted.

"You should be thankful that I let you use mine."

"I want one of my own."

"Plunder one then."

"But it'd be nicer if I got one as a _gift._"

"Listen to you," said Karnage who slipped his voice into a childish-sounding falsetto, "I want one of my own, I want a sword, I want to fly, when can I fly? All you do is go on about what you want!"

"I do not!" Kit said, "I don't do it all the time."

"Then why is it that you constantly annoy I with your wanting to fly?"

"Cause I want to be a pilot."

"Why do you want to fly so much?"

"Its what I've always wanted to do…I think about it at least every ten seconds!"

"If you spent only half of that time thinking about piracy then you would be a quarter as brilliant a pirate as I."

Kit was getting nowhere. He had to change his method of attack. He decided to be upfront: "Need anything?"

Karnage looked at his glass. The lemonade was almost gone, "Yes as a matter of fact. Go and get me a refill."

"I mean is there _anything _you need?"

"Well if you want to get me a sandwich."

"What about anything else," said Kit who was getting frustrated, "Anything _special?_"

"Yes!" said Karnage, "You could get me something special!"

"Really!" Kit's face brightened up.

"Go and get me some grapes."

Kit left to get his boss the requested items. _So much for getting ideas from him!_

As he walked out he passed Maddog who said to him, "So did he give you any ideas?"

"Yeah, lunch."

**Heading back to Pirate Island, September 9****th****-**

"OK guys listen up," said Kit who jumped up on a table so everyone could see him. He and the majority of the others were inside the _Iron Vulture's _galley. They had been out for two days and were on their way back to Pirate Island.

"Whaddaya want short stuff?" asked Machinegun Jack.

"We have a problem," said Kit.

"Yes we do," said Thickblade, "You're interrupting our card game!"

The three other pirates seated with the burly Thickblade nodded in agreement.

"What is tomorrow?" asked Kit.

Dumptruck looked at the calendar that was on the wall behind the serving line of the galley and said, "Der Its February 17th."

Dumptruck failed to realize that the calendar was from 1923 and was on an entirely different month.

"Dumptruck, today is September 9th which means that tomorrow is the 10th."

"Oh yeah."

"Tomorrow is the Captain's birthday!"

Everyone got quiet as the boy's words sank in. Finally Ratchet spoke, "We need to get him something otherwise he'll make us pay!"

"What did we plunder?" asked a swarthy wolf named Blackjack.

"A shipment of cantaloupes, a box of light bulbs, and a bunch of flour," said Will, "Nothing good enough for el capitan."

A sinking feeling overcame Kit as he realized that there was nothing worthy for Karnage, "Now what do we do?"

"I dunno kid," said Will who lit a cigar and took a puff, "I guess we're S.O.L."

Kit raised an eyebrow, "What S.O.L.?"

Will smiled and leaned to Kit's ear and whispered.

Kit giggled at what the second mate told him and said, "I'll definitely have to remember that one."

Will winked at the cub, "Don't ever said I didn't teach you nothing.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Maddog who was dreading what would happen if they disappointed their captain.

"Well we have enough flour to bake a big cake," said Ratchet.

"Who's gonna bake it?"

"Tiny likes to cook."

"Him cook?" said Hal who didn't realize that the seemingly slow Tiny actually had a talent for cooking.

"Yeah he can," said Will who turned his attention to the large pirate, "Tiny as soon as we get to Pirate Island go ahead and bake a cake."

"OK," said Tiny, "I'll use the cantaloupes!"

"Sure, whatever," said Will who wasn't too sure a cantaloupe cake would go over well with the captain.

"Listen guys we need to think of something," said Kit, "The captain is up in his office so we need to think of something now before he decides to come down here."

The assembled pirates began to exchange ideas.

Up in his office Don Karnage was dozing peacefully at his desk, resting in assurance that Jock was keeping an eye at the wheel.

On the bridge Jock was dozing peacefully at the base of the wheel, resting in assurance that Don Karnage was asleep at his desk.

**Pirate Island, September 10****th****-**

"It is a good thing you came in when you did mon garcon," said Jock to Will, "If I slept any longer we would've passed the island."

"I don't understand how it is that you can never stay awake at the wheel," said Will, "I mean you never do this in the engine room."

"There is nothing to keep me awake here like in the engine room," answered the little terrier, "Did you and the others decide what to give notre capitaine?"

Will gave the engine room chief an uncertain look and said, "Well its an original idea but I don't know how well its going to go over."

"What is it?"

"Well its kinda weird…Gibber had an idea about how gifts aren't important and that it's the thought that count and then Kit said that what we can give him will be more meaningful than anything we could plunder…surprisingly a lot of the guys went with their idea."

Jock smiled and the second mate and said, "I'll get a new toothbrush from the ship's stores and use the old one on the deck."

**That evening, Karnage's Office-**

"Uh Capt'n," said Maddog nervously, "Its dinner time."

"Why do you sound so nervous Maddog?" said Karnage who had picked up on Maddog's obvious nervousness.

"Uh I'm not nervous."

Karnage smiled, "Let's hope you and your fellow pirates found something worthy of my tastes."

Maddog gulped loudly.

**The Galley-**

Don Karnage walked into the galley and was met by the cheers of his men. He smiled and saw that they had made homemade banners that said: **Happy Birthday Don Karnage **on them.

Karnage took his seat and watched as Tiny and Hal wheeled a large cake into the room, a large _greenish-yellow _cake.

Maddog saw Karnage's expression and said, "It probably tastes better than it looks."

"I hope so…for your sake," Karnage said menacingly.

Karnage was now served a large lobster and other assorted shellfish. He looked at his plate and then at his men and said, "You may now eat!"

The pirates immediately began to devour their dinner. Rum was poured into glasses and greedy hands grabbed at rolls and sides.

Kit looked down the table to where Karnage sat and hoped that his and Gibber's idea was going to work.

Gibber leaned to Maddog's ear and whispered a suggestion.

Maddog stood up and said loudly, "Oh yeah guys, today is Don Karnage's birthday!"

Everyone let out a big cheer.

Maddog put his hand on the top of the chair that Karnage was seated in, looked at Karnage, and continued, "Today he is-" Karnage shot a shocked and angry look at Maddog who in turn gave out Karnage's _official _age, "27 years old!"

Karnage sighed in relief, glad that Maddog had shaved 10 years off of his actual age. Aging bothered him.

Down the table Ratchet leaned over close to Jock and asked, "Wasn't he 27 last year?'

Jock chuckled, "When he's 40 he'll tell people he's 30!"

Maddog now became even more nervous, "Capt'n we uh…we uh got you a little gift."

"Is it a sweater?" Karnage joked.

"No it's uh, its uh, its uh...Kit get over here!"

Karnage looked down the table to Will and made eye contact with his second mate. The two nodded and smiled slyly to each other. _This is going to be funny!_

Kit gulped and headed down to the end of the table to give Don Karnage his _gift. I sure hope this was a good idea!_

Gibber watched the boy and thought to himself, _Better him than me!_

Karnage watched as his cabin boy/pirate came down the table toward him and hopped up on Maddog's empty chair.

Kit took a deep breath and began, "Captain, we searched high and low for something that something worthy of your greatness. We looked all over the island and we raided two planes and a boat for a gift good enough for so great a pirate as yourself. We looked and looked and looked," Kit paused and thought of how he'd continue; _I shoulda rehearsed this! _"And looked some more…as a matter of fact we looked so much that we didn't realize that we had the perfect gift for you right in front of us!"

Karnage gave a surprised look as did all the other pirates.

Kit continued his speech: "We knew that this would be a perfect gift for you because every great captain has a great crew and great crews know what they're captain's like…so we decided that we'd get you something more special than gold and silver and jewels cause those are just objects…we wanted to get you something more meaningful than those things and so we..we uh…we decided that the only gift worthy of you is…"

Karnage wondered what could possibly be more important than gold, silver, and jewels. _Maybe they've gotten me a map showing a secret entrance to Cape Suzette! Or a listing of all cargo routes and flight times for Cape Suzette businesses!_

"OUR LOYALTY!"

The words jerked Karnage out of his fantasy, "What?" he said in a startled voice.

Kit looked at Karnage and said in as honest a voice as he could, "Captain Don Karnage, we want you to have our loyalty to you as our gift…you're the best captain in the world and you deserve nothing less than our loyalty…You're a great captain and you make us a great crew and we want to show you our thanks by giving you something more valuable than riches and plunder!"

Karnage was shocked: He had never in a million years have suspected his motley crew of cutthroats, prison escapees, and other assorted criminals to have come up with something so _unique. _He knew he had their loyalty because they did what he said when he said it but to have them actually acknowledge that they were loyalty to him because he made them a great crew was something that he was taken by. Here was a group of guys that, despite their many faults and screw-up's, was loyal to him.

Karnage would never ever admit it, but he was touched and impressed by his crew's thoughtfulness. His men were really loyal to him and this kind of loyalty was something that riches could never buy. This was from the heart…but he was Don Karnage, the greatest pirate in the world, and he couldn't be allowed to show his men that he was so touched by their gift.

Karnage stood and said, "Thank you my pirates…Now as soon as we finish this," he looked at the odd-looking cake, "Greenish-yellow-type cake you will swab the deck!"

Everyone's heads lowered, everyone that is except Will who had suggested to Karnage last month that he mark his calendar for today to have the crew swab the deck. It would be a funny in-joke between them.

"But use mops this time and not your toothbrushes!"

**A little later that night-**

"So much for our loyalty!" said Hal angrily.

"Aw its not so bad Hal," said Maddog, "At least he's letting use mops this time."

Will smiled and laughed at the two and decided not to tell them or anyone else that Karnage and he had previously planned this, _If they only knew they were going to swab the deck one way or another!_

"What are you laughing at?" asked Hal.

"Nothing Hal…nothing at all."

Kit moved the mop from side to side as he walked backward and accidentally bumped into Karnage.

"Sorry Capt'n," he said quickly, "It was an accident."

Karnage looked at the boy and smiled, "My boy, you have done good."

Kit looked at his boss with a confused look and then it dawned on him what Karnage had meant. His expression brightened and a smile formed on his face, "Happy Birthday Capt'n!"

Karnage folded his arms across his chest and watched as his crew labored on the deck. He took a bite out of the piece greenish-yellow cake he had with him, which was surprisingly very tasty, and thought; _They might not be the brightest fish in the sea but they sure are the most loyal._

Sufficiently pleased by the unexpected gift from his crew, he turned around and went off to the bridge, smiling happily as he went.


End file.
